Slate Health Check: Mercy College
Slate Health Check: Mercy College MERCY COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES While Mercy College has successfully implemented Slate as its admissions and recruitment CRM, several key enrollment processes continue to rely on manual workflows, spreadsheets, paper-based tracking, and limited integration with Colleague. These operational dependencies have resulted in fragmented processes, duplicated data entry, and reduced visibility across the enrollment lifecycle, limiting the institution’s ability to fully leverage its Slate investment. CHALLENGE: While Mercy College has successfully implemented Slate as its admissions and recruitment CRM, several key enrollment processes continue to rely on manual workflows, spreadsheets, paper-based tracking, and limited integration with Colleague. These operational dependencies have resulted in fragmented processes, duplicated data entry, and reduced visibility across the enrollment lifecycle, limiting the institution’s ability to fully leverage its Slate investment. SOLUTION: To better understand these challenges and identify opportunities for improvement, Solidan conducted a comprehensive Slate Health Check focused on system configuration, operational workflows, and platform utilization. The engagement included stakeholder interviews, system analysis, and collaborative working sessions with Mercy’s internal Slate leadership team. Rather than focusing solely on technical configuration, the review emphasized how Slate was being used in practice, where manual processes persisted, and where staffing and integration constraints were impacting operational efficiency. The Health Check revealed that while Mercy College has established a solid foundational use of Slate, there are significant opportunities to expand adoption and improve efficiency across several key areas. Key themes included process fragmentation driven by continued reliance on spreadsheets and manual tracking, underutilization of core Slate functionality such as automation, Reader, and Workflow tools, integration gaps between Slate and Colleague that contributed to duplicate data entry and limited visibility, and reporting constraints driven by manual data compilation and external tools. These findings highlighted both operational risk and significant opportunity to improve efficiency through deeper platform adoption. Following the assessment, Solidan worked closely with Mercy College stakeholders to prioritize findings based on operational impact, implementation feasibility, and institutional capacity. This prioritization ensured focus on the highest-risk and highest-impact opportunities, particularly those related to reducing manual effort, improving workflow efficiency, and strengthening system integration. Staffing constraints were also considered throughout, resulting in recommendations designed to balance quick wins with longer-term optimization opportunities. What began as a structured Health Check evolved into an ongoing support partnership, as Mercy College engaged Solidan to help translate findings into actionable improvements and phased implementation planning. This transition ensured the engagement moved beyond assessment into execution support, enabling continuous progress against the identified roadmap. Ongoing efforts have focused on expanding automation within admissions workflows, reducing reliance on manual and spreadsheet-based processes, improving Slate–Colleague alignment, and supporting staff adoption of underutilized Slate functionality. “We could not be more pleased with the level of customer service and expertise we have received from Solidan. We look forward to continuing our collaboration to enhance our own team’s operations as well as the student experience!” Katelyn Schmitt – Director of Enrollment Management RESULTS: The Health Check produced a detailed, module-based findings report covering areas such as Applications, Deliver, Events, Reader, and others. Each module included a structured evaluation of current-state usage, identified gaps, and prioritized recommendations designed to improve efficiency and reduce operational risk. More importantly, the findings provided Mercy College with a clear roadmap for decision-making and a foundation for strengthening its Slate environment in support of enrollment objectives. Since the completion of the Health Check, Mercy College has already begun implementing early-phase improvements focused on workflow optimization and reduction of manual processing. These initial enhancements demonstrate early value from the recommendations and have helped reduce operational friction in key admissions processes, with additional improvements progressing through the ongoing support model.
Depaul Communication Transformation: Leveraging Slate for Student Engagement
Depaul Communication Transformation: Leveraging Slate for Student Engagement DEPAUL’S KELLSTADT GRADUATE SCHOOL OF BUSINESS DePaul’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business (KGSB) is the graduate business school of DePaul University in Chicago. It’s part of the Driehaus College of Business, one of the ten oldest business schools in the U.S., and is AACSB-accredited—an elite standard held by fewer than 5% of business schools worldwide. KGSB offers MBA and specialized master’s programs designed to develop practical business skills and leadership, with flexible formats including full-time, part-time, and online options. Its Chicago location and strong industry connections help students build professional networks and real-world experience. CHALLENGE: Previously, KGSB relied on a single population for all inquiries, which limited audience segmentation and the ability to deliver targeted, program-specific messaging. Campaigns required frequent manual updates, including regularly turning mailings on and off to adjust recipient lists, creating a high maintenance burden and increasing the risk of errors. Additionally, Slate Deliver functionality was not used in alignment with best practices, such as dynamic populations, standardized templates, and reusable content blocks, which constrained scalability and long-term sustainability. SOLUTION: Expand KGSB mailing campaigns by establishing one dedicated inquiry campaign per program to deliver more customized, major-specific content aligned with prospective students’ academic and career interests. This structure allows for clearer program differentiation and more precise audience segmentation, ensuring communications are relevant and reflective of each program’s unique value proposition. The approach leverages a scalable, modular campaign framework that incorporates shared templates, reusable content blocks, translation codes, and standardized logic. Together, these elements create a sustainable foundation that promotes consistency, reduces manual maintenance, and supports future program growth and evolving messaging needs. “The Solidan team was great to work with. We would solve problems in real time and when needed additional staffing, resources were added to the project. Overall, everything moved efficiently and we met our deadline.” -Garry Cooke, Director of Recruitment and Admission Kellstadt Graduate School of Business DePaul University RESULTS: As a result, KGSB implemented a more streamlined and scalable campaign structure. This included the creation of program-specific inquiry campaigns paired with shared yield campaigns to balance personalization with efficiency. Translation codes were introduced to standardize program names, headers, and subject lines across communications, improving consistency and reducing maintenance. In addition, opportunities to improve campaign management processes and clarify staff assignments were identified, supporting more efficient ongoing operations.
UMass Canvas-to-PeopleSoft Grade Import Integration
UMass Canvas-to-PeopleSoft Grade Import Integration THE UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS UNIVERSITY SYSTEM Solidan partnered with the University of Massachusetts System to implement a robust integration between Canvas (LMS) and PeopleSoft Campus Solutions, streamlining the import of midterm and final grades. The solution delivers dual-mode functionality, supporting both real-time API-based grade transfers and fallback file upload capabilities. CHALLENGE: The UMass system faced persistent challenges in efficiently transferring grades from Canvas into PeopleSoft. Faculty encountered limitations with self-service grade imports due to: Inconsistent system behavior Complex grading scenarios Limited integration capabilities Without real-time connectivity between Canvas and PeopleSoft, institutions relied on manual workarounds, which led to delays, errors, and added pressure during high-volume grading periods. Furthermore, administrative staff lacked a reliable method to intervene when faculty-facing tools failed—creating bottlenecks and putting grade data integrity at risk. SOLUTION: To resolve these issues, Solidan designed and delivered a dual-mode grade import solution that: Seamlessly integrates Canvas with PeopleSoft Campus Solutions Leverages Boomi middleware to enable real-time, API-based grade transfers Incorporates a file upload fallback using PeopleSoft’s delivered grade import functionality This flexible and resilient approach ensures faculty and administrators can successfully submit grades, even in complex or constrained scenarios. Key Features Delivered: API-Based Integration: Real-time grade imports from Canvas to PeopleSoft using the Canvas API and Boomi middleware Boomi Data Translation Layer: Automated mapping and transformation of Canvas exports into PeopleSoft-ready formats File Import Fallback: Enables administrative users to upload grade files when API import is unavailable or inapplicable Administrative Upload Support: Staff can submit grades on behalf of faculty for exceptional cases or complex course setups Two-Way Import Pathways: Supports both self-service (faculty) and administrative-grade submission workflows “Working with Solidan on this or any project is amazing. Solidan brings both technical and functional expertise that improved the deliverables as well as speeding up the time to completion. Responsive, knowledgeable and quick – We couldn’t be more satisfied and we look forward to future projects.” -Rebecca Forest, Applications Manager Campus Community, Admissions, Academics and Records Support, University of Massachusetts System KEY FEATURES DELIVERED: API-Based Integration: Real-time grade imports from Canvas to PeopleSoft using the Canvas API and Boomi middleware Boomi Data Translation Layer: Automated mapping and transformation of Canvas exports into PeopleSoft-ready formats File Import Fallback: Enables administrative users to upload grade files when API import is unavailable or inapplicable Administrative Upload Support: Staff can submit grades on behalf of faculty for exceptional cases or complex course setups Two-Way Import Pathways: Supports both self-service (faculty) and administrative-grade submission workflows RESULTS: With Solidan’s support, the UMass system now benefits from a scalable, efficient, and user-friendly solution for grade imports. The integration ensures academic deadlines are met while reducing manual workload and increasing confidence in data integrity. Streamlined the faculty experience through direct, self-service grade imports Ensured consistent grade processing via dual-mode (API and file) functionality Empowered administrative users to intervene when faculty access was limited Minimized grading delays during peak submission periods Improved data accuracy through Boomi-powered transformation and validation Increased user satisfaction and reduced support burden during midterm and final grade windows
